I arrived here by your reference from your recent Substack on Writing in the Age of AI. I loved reading this post on Feynman's learning processes because I believe you have done a very good job of explaining exactly what it is that I value from your posts. You absorb any jargon from your source and distill it down to its essentials leaving just enough of a trail to follow how you got there, and opening the door to further exploration for your reader. You, yourself, are a great example of why writing is a worthwhile activity in the age of AI.
I try to do that, you explained exactly how I see Mental Garden. Each text is an exercise in learning using the Feynman technique, and it really works, I assure you.
I could do it privately, but by doing it publicly, more people can follow this process with me and investigate for themselves. That's why I like to leave the references. Honesty is crucial, even more so in this age of AI-generated texts. I'm glad it inspired you :)
Wonderful column and advice. I cannot seem to find it but a few years ago it became trendy for scientists to describe what they study to an "8 year old" and in two sentences or less. The results were fascinating and wildly importance. If anyone remembers this or finds the link, it would be most wonderful.
While I think simplifying is key, there is also a very important role for complicating or problematizing.
Hi! I didn't know what you mentioned about scientists explaining issues in a simplified way. It is true what you say about making complicated and problematizing issues is also important, but I would say that this is the last phase of understanding. For that, we have to start very superficially first, otherwise people will go away scared, as it always happens when you mention words like “quantum physics”. Nobody understands it because there are too many barriers to entry.
I arrived here by your reference from your recent Substack on Writing in the Age of AI. I loved reading this post on Feynman's learning processes because I believe you have done a very good job of explaining exactly what it is that I value from your posts. You absorb any jargon from your source and distill it down to its essentials leaving just enough of a trail to follow how you got there, and opening the door to further exploration for your reader. You, yourself, are a great example of why writing is a worthwhile activity in the age of AI.
Oh! Thank you so much, Kathleen!
I try to do that, you explained exactly how I see Mental Garden. Each text is an exercise in learning using the Feynman technique, and it really works, I assure you.
I could do it privately, but by doing it publicly, more people can follow this process with me and investigate for themselves. That's why I like to leave the references. Honesty is crucial, even more so in this age of AI-generated texts. I'm glad it inspired you :)
Writing is the best tool for learning.
Wonderful column and advice. I cannot seem to find it but a few years ago it became trendy for scientists to describe what they study to an "8 year old" and in two sentences or less. The results were fascinating and wildly importance. If anyone remembers this or finds the link, it would be most wonderful.
While I think simplifying is key, there is also a very important role for complicating or problematizing.
Hi! I didn't know what you mentioned about scientists explaining issues in a simplified way. It is true what you say about making complicated and problematizing issues is also important, but I would say that this is the last phase of understanding. For that, we have to start very superficially first, otherwise people will go away scared, as it always happens when you mention words like “quantum physics”. Nobody understands it because there are too many barriers to entry.